[u][i]Aislinn Hoyle-The Keep[/i][/u]

Aislinn had just turned her head to the siren, her ears perked with curiosity at the knowledge spewing forth from the creature’s mouth, when the first explosion came. Dust shook from the vaulted ceiling, and as it rained down, Aislinn’s ears pinned back, and her hand reached to press against the tooth of Fenris. The object was stored in a small leather pouch held about her waist, and she felt its distinctive outline, she knew in her heart what was transpiring.

Her amber eyes flitted to the siren, then to Veti, and to a glamorous fae that was walking towards her. She opened her mouth to speak of what she knew was coming for them, when the glass behind her came crashing down. 

The weight of thousands of falling shards of razor-sharp glass sent her sprawling to the floor, and she roared in pain as her flesh was pierced and cut. Fighting against her wounds, the old werewolf forced herself onto her hands and knees. The glass that was still cascading and flowing across the smooth wooden floor made her slip, her hands and feet becoming torn open as she moved, but she managed to keep her footing. 

Aislinn looked over her shoulder towards the now gaping window. Her hackles raised in instinctive fury, the hair upon her back now matted with the blood from the countless small cuts. She heard Veti roar, and the sound sent another wave of hot adrenaline through her veins. When no attacker burst through the window to accompany the shattering of the glass, Aislinn growled and snapped her jaws. 

It was then that Reginald Hoyle, her brother, skidded to a stop before her. His strong hands helped her fully to her feet, and his tongue licked once at her face. The gesture as much to ensure she was alright as it was for his own solace. 

His eyes scanned the room, his ears twisting to and fro, searching for a sound that should have existed, but was conspicuously absent. 

“We must go, now,” Hoyle growled. He licked at his fangs nervously. 

Archibald Bain added his own voice, speaking about the need to reach the shade gates. Aislinn nodded, and began shuffling as fast as her shredded feet would allow towards the main entrance to the great room, and the bank of elevators there. Hoyle did his best to support his sister, pressing his massive shoulders beneath her arm to help push her along. 

The pair of them made it some twenty paces when Hoyle roared in surprise and agony. Aislinn spun to her brother just as he fell, clutching at a large gash behind his knee. 

Aislinn swung out with her claws, filling the air around where her brother had just been standing with fatal fury. She bellowed in anxious rage as her claws found nothing, and her jaws snapped over and over in fruitless anger. 

She placed herself above her crippled brother, her feet almost slipping in the giant pool of blood that was forming beneath him. The severity of the wound could only mean one thing, and Hoyle voiced what his sister already surmised. 

“Silver.”

Archibald Bain skidded to a halt beside both Hoyles, his sword now arched over his head in a high scorpion guard. 

“Victoria,” the vampire yelled, “get Hoyle! The rest of you, fan out around Aislinn. We’re getting to those elevators [i]now[/i].”

Aislinn was almost frantic now as she looked down to her brother. She clutched at him, tears welling in her ancient eyes as he looked back up to her. There was no time, she knew for the greater good there could be no time. Archibald was pulling at her with all his might, almost carrying her away from Hoyle. 

As she was half-drug away by Bain, the tears began to flow down her lupine face. The large droplets of water clouded her vision, and in that instant the image of her brother was blurred. Somehow, through the depths of her fear, rage, and despair, an idea burst into her mind. She pointed to the tall blond man that had been with Veti. Though she did not know him by name, she knew him to be a powerful wielder of magic. 

“Rain!” Aislinn yelled to him, her voice pleading for him to understand as Bain drug her ever further from her brother. “Make it rain! The droplets…” she grunted, “…the rain will show…” 

Her voice faltered with a horrific wet sound as she pitched forward, a broad slash opening across her stomach.